SWEC News Briefs
May 27, 2009
Raft the Rio is fast approaching–June 13
Start making your rafts! The Southwest Environmental Center’s twelfth
annual /Raft the Rio/ will be held on Saturday, June 13, 2009 on the Rio
Grande near Las Cruces. The family-friendly event is open to individuals
and teams of all ages willing to get wet and have fun. The three-mile
rafting adventure will begin at La Llorona Park beneath the Picacho
Street bridge, and end just upstream from the Calle del Norte Bridge
(“Mesilla Bridge”). Creativity and the use of discarded materials in
building rafts is highly encouraged.
Prizes will be awarded to homemade boats in the following categories:
· Best use of recycled materials
· Least likely to finish (must be floating at start of race)
· First to finish
· Most creative
· Spirit of the River
This year there are two divisions: Kids and Open. Prizes will be awarded
in both divisions. The Kids Division race begins at 10 a.m. sharp.,
followed by the Open Division at 10:15. To be eligible for the Kids’
Division, at least half the sailors on a boat must be under 13 years of
age. The river is expected to be full, due to releases of irrigation
water from Caballo Reservoir. Teams may register at the starting line
beginning at 8:00 a.m., or in advance by contacting the Southwest
Environmental Center.
The entry fee is $10 per raft in advance (or $20 on race day), plus $5
for each crew member 13 years and older (after the first two). Motorized
craft are not allowed. _New Mexico__ law requires that all participants
wear personal flotation devices. _ All participants will be entered in a
drawing to win an exciting whitewater raft trip for two on the Rio
Grande near Taos, courtesy of event sponsor Far Flung Adventures. There
will be refreshments, food vendors and live music at the finish line.
In keeping with the environmental spirit of the event, participants are
encouraged to minimize their purchase of new materials for making rafts.
For more information, call the Southwest Environmental Center at (575)
522-5552.
Volunteers needed for Raft the Rio
We are looking for volunteers to help with Raft the Rio. We especially
need experienced canoeists and kayakers with their own boats who can act
as safety boats on the water, keeping an eye on rafters to make sure
everybody is safe. We have a number of other volunteer openings as well.
In addition, we are seeking loans of the following items for the event:
* EZ up shade tents
* Personal flotation devices
* Canoes and kayaks
Please contact Lauren if you can help us out: (575) 522-5552 and
lauren@wildmesquite.org. Thanks!
Join us at the El Paso Diablos Game–Monday, June 1
Now that summer is here, it’s time to take in a ballgame! Bring the
whole family out and join us for an evening of baseball at the El Paso
Diablo’s game at Cohen Stadium on June 1 at 7 pm. The Diablos have
designated June 1 as “Southwest Environmental Center” night. We will be
selling tickets in advance and outside of the game. Tickets for box
seats are $6 (normally $7) and part of the money goes to SWEC. What a
deal! The Diablos have a great team this year. You get to enjoy minor
league baseball at its finest, and support SWEC at the same time! To get
your tickets, drop by our office M-F, 9-6 pm, or contact Lauren at (575)
522-5552 or at lauren@wildmesquite.org <mailto:lauren@wildmesquite.org>.
_We’re hiring!_
The Southwest Environmental Center has an opening for a Field
Organizer/Outreach Coordinator to help mobilize public support for our
conservation campaigns. The focus of this job is on raising awareness
and getting people to take action, and involves lots of face-to-face
interaction with all kinds of people. It’s a great position for someone
who likes people and believes in the power of grassroots activism. At
least initially, the primary focus will be on two efforts: 1) organizing
public support for Mexican wolf recovery in southern NM; 2) engaging
school and community groups in SWEC’s long-term efforts to restore the
Rio Grande to ecological health in southern NM and west Texas. See the
complete job description at www.wildmesquite.org to learn more.
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